Frank Tierney, Lake Zurich, Illinois took up the game of golf for the first time in August of 1997. A month later, on Sunday, September 21, Tierney played his 5th round of golf ever at the Village Green golf course in Mundelein, Illinois. After arriving 25 minutes late due to a buyer appointment, he walked on the first tee cold and drove the first 2 balls off the tee, over the fence and across the highway. Over the course of the next eleven holes, he succeeded in selling a home and setting two appointments for the following week. On the 15th hole, Tierney pulled out his 3 wood to conquer the 220 yard, par 3. As Tierney took his turn and partner, Dick Witschey stared down the fairway, the ball was headed straight for the green which was fronted by sand traps. In fact, Mr. Witschey even commented on what a great shot it was. Reeling from past great hits gone awry, Tierney's first thought was, "Gee's, I wonder which trap I'll be in!"

As the ball bounced between the traps, Tierney was pleased that he might miss the traps and land on the green. Tierney's next thought was, "Hey, if that thing slows down, I may be putting from the green for the first time in my one month golf life." Then the ball took a few more bounces and headed towards the cup. His next thought was, "Wow, I may even make par!"

As it bounced to the hole, it seemed to disappear. Dumfounded, Frank kept staring at the green as Dick started moving around the tee, head craning down the fairway asking, "Where'd it go Frank?" Tierney just pointed down the fairway unable to speak. Dick asked again, "I don't see anything white on the green, WHERE'S THE BALL, FRANK?" Running to the far side of the tee to verify it wasn't hiding behind the pin, Frank either forgot what he responded or was still speechless, when Dick finally announced, "Your ball's in the cup! YOU JUST HAD A HOLE IN ONE!"

Tierney finally found his voice and started shouting and waving his club in the air. He made quite a spectacle of his accomplishment from that tee. When he arrived on the green, the golfers on the next tee had seen the ball hit the green and go in. They had commented amongst themselves about the great shot, but it was only after the hooting and hollering that they realized it was a hole in one. The last 3 holes were a blurr from the excitement and it was task enough to just finish them. Tierney was ready to give up real estate and hit the talk show circuit to kick off a speaking tour until Witschey showed him the final scores.

"So, what was your final score?", many have asked! Well, to answer the question, the person has to know Frank's golf history. He took 3 golf lessons and hit one bucket of balls in August, before stepping foot on a golf course. To this day, Frank has played 2 rounds of 9 and 3 rounds of 18 and has yet to hit a ball from the tee on to the green and make it stick, a record he still maintains. As he puts it, "I've hit the ball from the tee onto the green, but it has either rolled off or went in the cup!"

As another testament to his golfing prowess, during his previous round on a nine hole course in Door County, an older couple pulled up to the 6th tee while he was waiting for the twosome ahead of him to clear the fairway. Frank welcomed them to join him, but warned them that this was the 4th round he'd ever played and he also had never played this course. They laughingly agreed to join him. As they approached the 185 yard, par 3, ninth hole, Frank offered this advice. "You have to be careful here, try to stay right down the middle. See that tree and row of bushes along the left side? There is a sand trap just beyond there which you can't see from here." They had this astonished look on their faces, as the wife commented, "I thought you said you never played this course before." Tierney comfortably responded, "I haven't played this COURSE before, but this will be the 4th time I've played this fairway." They parted ways after the green, the couple never would know what greatness Tierney was to aspire to on his next outing.

Oh, and the ball he used was one of a dozen water balls that he had just purchased for $5 from an elderly man, sitting on a fence by the 3rd hole. Tierney became concerned that 6 balls weren't going to be enough after losing 2 on his first drive from the first tee. The ball bore the name of a local bank whom must have used it for a promotion. And the scores? Dick had one of his worst rounds, shooting a 129. While Tierney, having every thing in sync and with the benefit of the hole in one, scored a 127.

It would be nice if the story stopped there, but it continues. Recognizing the great fortune that had befallen Tierney, he surmised it could only be the luck of his 3 wood. For the next two days, he carried his 3 wood on all his appointments, into homes and on broker tour. Not only did he sell 5 homes in the course of the week, it was a great lead-in to share his story. His appointments went something like this: On a contract presentation, the sellers opened their door and he stepped in saying, "Let's sit down at the table to go over the contract." as he carried the contract in one hand and the club in the other. There he sat, only to be asked by the sellers, "Sounds good, Frank! But what's with the golf club?" Frank would shyly respond, "Oh, this? Well, I'm glad you asked because I'm a little modest to bring it up myself, but....."

The most amazingly true thing is that Tierney EXPECTED to hit a "Hole-in-one" since taking up golf, even to the point of thinking it would come during his first round. He didn't try his darndest before each drive or even focus on it before each round. In fact, he said he never even thought about it while on the course. "My expectation and vision would arise while away from the course, but thinking about golf, be it at home or work. I never thought 'This will be the hole or the day.' I, also, had previously decided I would quit golf after the Hole-in-one, which is what I did. Fortunately, Dick talked me out of it."

The big question, "When do you expect to hit your second Hole-in-one?" Tierney responded, "I no longer have the vision I previously had. I'll be amazed if it EVER happens again. I'm just going to go out and keep my drives on this side of the highway."